This invention relates to an apparatus for mounting underwater marine detection equipment on a waterborne vessel, and more particularly for boats as a mounting apparatus for a fishfinder sonar transducer for use in determining depth, assist in navigation, locating fish and scanning for underwater structures, and for mounting a portable underwater camera for viewing fish or structures.
Various types of mounting brackets and apparatus are known in the prior art. For example,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,420, incorporated herein by reference, issued on May 23, 2000 is concerned with a portable transducer mount with no means provided for mounting to a boat or vessel deck railing or for mounting to the side walls of an aluminum boat or the like, limited vertical and horizontal scanning adjustment, and no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,272, incorporated herein by reference, issued on Jun. 25, 1996, is concerned with a transducer mount with no means for mounting to a boat or vessel deck, limited vertical adjustment for scanning, no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera, and no means for protecting the transducer or camera from damage as the result of contact with an underwater object or structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,225, incorporated herein by reference, issued on May 14, 1991 is concerned with a transducer mount with no vertical adjustment capabilities, no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera, no secure mounting capabilities for deck railing or deck mounting, and no means for protecting the mount from damage upon striking an underwater object or structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,915, incorporated herein by reference, issued on May 29, 1990 is concerned with a transducer mount with limited vertical adjustment capabilities, no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera, no means for mounting to a boat or vessel deck railing or side walls of an aluminum boat or the like, and no means for protecting the mount from damage upon striking an underwater object or structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,310, incorporated herein by reference, issued on Mar. 17, 1989, is concerned with a transducer mount designed to be stationary on a boat transom only, with no horizontal adjustment and limited vertical adjustment for scanning, and no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,485, incorporated herein by reference, issued on Aug. 25, 1981, is concerned with a transducer mount with limited vertical adjusting capabilities, no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera, no secure means for mounting onto a boat or vessel deck railing, and it is not designed for a deck mounting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,590, incorporated herein by reference, issued on Aug. 4, 1981, is concerned with a transducer mount with limited vertical adjusting capabilities, no means for mounting to a boat deck railing or deck, no means of mounting an underwater viewing camera, no means for protecting the mount from damage upon striking an underwater object or structure, and the invention has an excessive number of components that make it more costly to manufacture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,690, incorporated herein by reference, issued on May 1, 1979, is concerned with a transducer mount designed for mounting only onto a trolling motor, with no means of mounting an underwater viewing camera, and having limited vertical adjusting capabilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,216, incorporated herein by reference, issued on Nov. 2, 1976, is concerned with a transducer mount with limited vertical adjustment capabilities, no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera, no means for mounting to a boat deck railing or side walls of an aluminum boat or the like, and is designed with an excessive number of components, being more costly to manufacturer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,431 issued Aug. 14, 1973, U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,162 issued Apr. 24, 1973, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,714,619 issued Jan. 30, 1973, are incorporated herein by reference, and are all concerned with transducer mounts designed for mounting on a boat or vessel transom only, having no means for mounting to a boat or vessel deck, railing, or side walls of an aluminum boat or the like. All three of these patents have no horizontal adjusting capabilities, limited vertical adjusting capabilities, and no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,706, incorporated herein by reference, issued on Jun. 19, 1973, is concerned with a transducer mount with limited vertical adjusting capabilities, no means for mounting onto a boat deck railing, mounting to the side walls of an aluminum boat or the like, and no means for mounting an underwater viewing camera.
While the prior art are all directed to transducer mounting brackets and apparatus, none combine all the features in prior art nor additional features not taught in the prior art which are desirable to fulfill all the needs of the typical fisherman or boater. The object of the present invention is to combine all of the desired features in prior art, while providing improved and additional features, such as a limited number of components that are lightweight and corrosion resistant, the means to be able to attach the present invention to the side walls of aluminum vessels and vessel deck rails, as well as vessel decks, the means to be able to scan in unlimited vertical and horizontal directions, and the means to be able to attach underwater viewing cameras as well as marine transducers, thus fulfilling all of the needs of the typical fisherman or boater.